Citing Sunderland news site:SAFC have confirmed a new Academy link-up with a top Egyptian side to help develop football in the territory.

Sunderland AFC has embarked on a partnership with the Arab Academy of Science, Technology and Maritime Transport(AASTMT) and EL-ltthad EL-Iskandary FC to develop football in Egypt and to further Sunderland's international links in the territory.The Alexandria-based football club and the Egyptian University want to create a youth set-up based on the principles of Sunderland's highly successful Academy.

SAFC's Academy is recognised as one of the best in the country and Academy Director, Ged McNamee, Assistant Academy Manager Kevin Ball and other members of the coaching staff will be providing technical support and practical assistance to their counterparts in Egypt.The Academy will be based at the AAST and with the support of EL-ltthad EL-Iskandary and Sunderland AFC it aims to develop young football talent in the country. Sunderland's Academy staff will also create specialist coaching manuals for the project and monitor the progress of the young footballers on an on-going basis.The Arab Academy of Science and Technology will also provide educational facilities for the Egyptian academy students. The University already has links to Sunderland, with an existing academic partnership with the University of Sunderland.The best youngsters from the Egyptian Academy will also visit Sunderland to train with the club's own Academy youngsters, giving them a taste of top-flight English football first-hand.Sunderland AFC Chairman Niall Quinn said: "This is an exciting venture for our football club. Our Academy is fantastically well-run and we are seeing the results of that with the emergence of great young players such as Jordan Henderson.

"It is going to be great for us to be able to share our best-practice principles to help to develop football in the Alexandria region and throughout Egypt."As part of the agreement EL-ltthad EL-Iskandary FC will host an Under 20 international tournament in May 2010, in which youth teams from around the world, including Sunderland AFC, will participate.

Mohamed Mouselhy, President of El Ittihad El Iskandary said: "We are delighted to be partnering with a great English Premier League club such as Sunderland. Our club will benefit greatly from this, gaining useful experience of football at the highest level.

"We would also like to see Sunderland playing friendly matches in Egypt and increasing their supporter base and commercial opportunities with cooperation with Itthad Club and AAST.

"Alexandria, particularly Itthad club, has over 5 million football fans, who I'm sure will be keen and happy with such cooperation and partnership with Sunderland Football Club."

The Arab Academy of Science and Technology will also work with Sunderland AFC to develop an Arabic website which will help raise the club's profile in Egypt.Dr Farghaly, AASTMT President, welcomes the opportunity: "We are looking for a sustained partnership that will also integrate with our associates at the Sunderland University.

"Working with Sunderland AFC will be a great benefit to us in gaining practical experience of world football and the development of talent, combined with a good education."